Polycarbonates are well known in the art as useful polymers for the preparation of molded articles, films, fibers, protective coatings and numerous other applications. The most well known polycarbonamides of the art are those generically known as nylon such as nylon 6,6, nylon 6, nlyon 6,10 etc. These polyamides are prepared by the condensation of an aliphatic diamine and aliphatic dicarboxylic acid by a variety of well known polymerization techniques.
Aromatic polycarbonamides, generically known as aramids are also well known in the art. However, because of their high melting points, they cannot be processed by conventional melt fabrication methods and have limited commercial applications. Exemplary of this class of polycarbonamides are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,352 to Kwolek. The polyamides of this publication are reported to have a minimum melting point of 350.degree. C. Another illustrative aromatic polycarbonamide of the aramid type is the poly(para-benzamide) sold under trademark designation Kevlar 49. The preparation of this polyamide is described in U.K. Patent No. 1,198,081 and it is not processible by conventional melt processing methods. Similarly, mixed aromatic/aliphatic polyamides are known in the art; see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,323 which describes the condensation of m-phenylene diamine with adipic, suberic and sebacic acids.
It is the object of ths invention to provide novel polycarbonamides of the above classes which are the condensation products of 4,4'-bis-[2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-hexafluoroisopropyl]-diphenyl ether with an aromatic, aliphatic or alicyclic diamine or mixtures thereof. These novel polyamides have useful mechanical, chemical and physical properties and they may be melt fabricated.